Safety Pocket

ABSTRACT

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, is a safety pocket device that can be removably attached to various types of clothing and used to temporarily and securely store and/or transport personal items such as money, credit cards, identification, keys, jewelry and the like. More specifically, the safety pocket device can be removably attached to the underside of a wearer&#39;s clothes or an undergarment, wherein the safety pocket device and its contents are out of the public&#39;s view. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the safety pocket device is comprised of a portable pocket with a retractable key ring holder securely housed in the interior portion of said portable pocket.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/729,858 filed on Nov. 26, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a portable pocket device with a retractable key holder that can be removably attached to an article of clothing such as a shirt, blouse, pants or undergarment.

BACKGROUND

It may not always be practical for an individual to carry a purse, wallet or handbag for storing or transporting personal items such as cash, credit cards, keys, etc. with them at all times, especially while, for example, exercising, running errands and/or travelling. Some individuals elect to store such items in the pockets of their clothes, but not all garments have pockets and even when an article of clothing does have a pocket the stored items are susceptible to being lost or stolen if they fall out of said pocket, for example, while the user is exercising.

Consequently, there exist in the art a long felt need for a portable pocket device that can be removably attached to various types of clothing and used to temporarily store and/or transport personal items such as money, credit cards, identification, keys, jewelry and the like. There also exists in the art a long felt need for a portable pocket device that conceals the existence of the device and the personal items being stored and/or transported therein by permitting the device to be attached to the interior side of the user's clothing. Further, there exists in the art a long felt need for a portable pocket device with a retractable key holder located therein. Finally, there is a long-felt need for a portable pocket device that accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and safe and easy to use.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, is a safety pocket device comprised of a front panel and a rear panel that define an interior space, a closure mechanism, a retractable key holder housed within said interior space, and a pin for attaching the safety pocket device to an article, such as an article of clothing. The safety pocket device of the present invention enables a user to store and/or transport relatively small personal items, such as credit cards, keys, identifications, etc., in a removable pocket on the inside of an article of clothing, such as a shirt, blouse, dress, pants, undergarment, etc., in a discrete manner. For example, the safety pocket device provides women with convenient access to their personal items without the need for carrying a purse or handbag, and prevents items from falling out of an existing clothing pocket. The safety pocket device of the present invention is ideal for jogging, working out, an evening out on the town, attending school, travelling, or any other time in which a user desires to discreetly transport personal items without the hassle of carrying a purse or utilizing a traditional pocket.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of a preferred embodiment of the safety pocket device of the present invention in an opened position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back of a preferred embodiment of the safety pocket device of the present invention in an opened position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front of a preferred embodiment of the safety pocket device of the present invention in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the safety pocket device of the present invention attached to a user's clothing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 is perspective view of the front of a preferred embodiment of the safety pocket device 100 of the present invention in an open position. Safety pocket device 100 is preferably comprised of a front panel 110, a rear panel 130, an interior space 150, a closure mechanism 160, a retractable key holder 180, and an attachment device 190 for attaching safety pocket device 100 to an article, such as an article of clothing. Front panel 110 is preferably a generally flat, rectangular panel comprised of a top 110, a bottom 112, a first side 113, a second side 114, an exterior surface 115, and an interior surface 116. Notwithstanding, it is contemplated that other shapes could also be used without affecting the overall concept of the invention. While front panel 110 can be of any size, style, color or design to suit user need and/or a particular application, the width of first panel 110 is preferably between three and four inches, as measured between first side 113 and second side 114, and between two and three inches in height, as measure between top 111 and bottom 112. Front panel 110 is preferably comprised of leather, though any other suitable material, such as plastic, nylon and the like, could also be used without effecting the overall concept of the invention.

Rear panel 130 is preferably comprised of the same material and of generally the same shape and size of front panel 110. More specifically, rear panel 130 is also comprised of a top 131, a bottom 132, a first side 133, a second side 134, an exterior surface 135, and an interior surface 136. Front panel 110 and rear panel 130 are typically attached to one another along bottoms 112, 132, first sides 113, 133, and second sides 114, 134 by any means commonly known in the art such as stitching, glue, etc. However, it is also contemplated that front panel 110 and rear panel 130 could be of unitary construction.

As best shown in FIG. 1, front panel 110 and rear panel 130 define a pouch or interior space 150 that is capable of storing and/or transporting personal articles such as cash, credit cards, identification paperwork, keys and the like. More specifically, interior space 150 is bound by interior surface 116 of front panel 110, interior surface 136 of rear panel 130, and closure mechanism 160.

Closure mechanism 160 is positioned along top 111 of first panel 110 and top 131 of rear panel 130, and is repositionable between an open position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a closed position, as is shown in FIG. 3. Closure mechanism 160 can be any closure mechanism known in the art for sealing and/or opening an article, such as a prior art zipper, snaps, latches, buttons, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, closure mechanism 160 is a prior art zipper 162. When closure mechanism 160 is in an open position, a user 200 can access interior space 150 and the contents stored therein. Similarly, when closure mechanism 160 is in a closed position, as is shown in FIG. 3, a user 200 cannot access interior space 150 or any of the personal items stored therein.

In the preferred embodiment, safety pocket device 100 further comprises a retractable key holder 180 attached to the interior surface 116 of front panel 110 or the interior surface 136 of rear panel 130. Retractable key holder 180 can be any retractable mechanism as is known in the art, and is preferably comprised of a base 182, a retractable cord or line 184 housed in and capable of extending from said base 182, and a key ring 186. More specifically, base 182 is preferably attached to safety pocket device 100 and retractable key holder 180 is housed in interior space 150 when closure mechanism 160 is in the closed position. However, when closure mechanism 160 is in an open position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, key ring 186 and a portion of retractable line 185 are capable of extending outwardly from interior space 150 thereby enabling a user 200 to utilize a key (not shown) on key ring 186 without detaching retractable key holder 180 from safety pocket device 100.

Safety pocket device 100 further comprises an attachment means or device, such as pin 190, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, or other fasteners, for removably attaching safety pocket device 100 to an object, such as an article of clothing 210. Pin 190 can be any type of pin commonly known in the art, such as a bobby pin or a safety pin, and is preferably attached to a user's clothing 210 and exterior surface 115 of front panel 110 or exterior surface 135 of rear panel 130.

Having described the overall structure of a preferred embodiment of safety pocket device 100, its use and usefulness will now be summarized. A user 200 desiring to safely and securely store and/or transport personal items, such as money, jewelry, identification paperwork, credit cards, keys and the like, while, for example, exercising, would simply place said personal items within interior space 150 of safety pocket device 100 and reposition closure mechanism 160 to a closed position, as shown in FIG. 3. The user 200 may then attach safety pocket device 100 to the user's clothes 210 or an undergarment (not shown), in or out of the public's view. For example, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the safety pocket device 100 of the present invention attached to a user's clothing 210. When the user 200 desires to access interior space 150, for example, to retrieve personal items stored therein, the user 200 simply repositions the closure mechanism 160 to an open position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and retrieves the items. Of course, the forgoing action can be done either while safety pocket device 100 is attached to the user's clothing 200, or while it is detached from the same.

Likewise, a user can make use of retractable key holder 180 in a similar fashion. More specifically, a user 200 desiring to access a key (not shown) on key ring 186 stored in interior space 150 and connected to base 182 via retractable cord 184 can simply reposition closure mechanism 160 to an open position (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) and pull key ring 186 out of interior space 150 to utilize the same. Once user 200 is done using the key, retractable cord 184 will retract into base 182, and the user 200 can reposition closure mechanism 160 to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 3), thereby securing retractable key holder 180 and any other contents securely within interior space 150.

Accordingly, safety pocket device 100 of the present invention can be removably attached to various types of clothing and used to temporarily store and/or transport personal items such as money, credit cards, identification, keys, jewelry and the like. Further, safety pocket device 100 conceals the existence of the device and the personal items being stored and/or transported therein by permitting the device to be attached to the interior side of the user's clothing. Additionally, the retractable key holder 180 located in the interior space 150 of safety pocket device 100 permits a user 200 to securely access keys without detaching the retractable key holder 180 from pocket device 100, and without the need to remove pocket device 100 from the article of clothing 210 to which it is attached. Finally, the safety pocket device 100 of the present invention is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and safe and easy to use.

Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable pocket device comprising: a front panel; a rear panel; an interior space; a closure mechanism; and an attachment device for removably attaching said portable pocket device to an article.
 2. The portable pocket device of claim 1 further comprising a retractable key ring.
 3. The portable pocket device of claim 2 wherein said retractable key ring is stored in the interior space when not in use.
 4. The portable pocket device of claim 1 wherein said closure mechanism is repositionable between an open and a closed position.
 5. The portable pocket device of claim 1 wherein said closure mechanism is a zipper.
 6. The portable pocket device of claim 1 wherein said interior space is defined by said front panel and said rear panel.
 7. The portable pocket device of claim 1 wherein said attachment device is a pin.
 8. The portable pocket device of claim 1 wherein said attachment device is attached to one of an exterior surface of the rear panel or an exterior surface of the front panel.
 9. The portable pocket device of claim 2 wherein said retractable key ring is further comprised of a base, a retractable line and a key ring.
 10. The portable pocket device of claim 9 wherein said base is attached to one of an interior surface of the rear panel or an interior surface of the front panel.
 11. A pocket device comprising: a front panel; a rear panel, wherein said front panel and said rear panel define an interior space; a closure mechanism for further defining said interior space; a retractable key holder; and an attachment device for removably attaching said pocket device to an article.
 12. The pocket device of claim 11 wherein said retractable key holder is stored in the interior space when not in use.
 13. The pocket device of claim 11 wherein said closure mechanism is repositionable between an open position and a closed position.
 14. The pocket device of claim 11 wherein said attachment device is a pin.
 15. The pocket device of claim 11 wherein said article is an article of clothing.
 16. The pocket device of claim 11 wherein said attachment device is attached to one of an exterior surface of the rear panel or an exterior surface of the front panel.
 17. The pocket device of claim 11 wherein said retractable key holder is further comprised of a base, a retractable line and a key ring.
 18. The pocket device of claim 17 wherein said base is attached to one of an interior surface of the rear panel or an interior surface of the front panel.
 19. A pocket device comprising: a front panel; a rear panel; a zipper, wherein said front panel, said rear panel and said zipper define an interior space; a retractable key holder stored within said interior space; and a pin attached to an exterior surface of said pocket device for removably attaching said pocket device to an article of clothing.
 20. The pocket device of claim 19 wherein said zipper is repositionable between an open position and a closed position. 